Scottish, born and bred. Writer of fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Right-hand man to a wolf. Creator of #1 Amazon bestseller Metallic Dreams and some worstsellers too.

In Metallic Dreams vocalist Spark MacDubh wakes covered in snow on a street of his home town. His most recent memories are of dying and being jolted back to life by an unseen force. He sets out to restart his band, which fragmented years earlier in a hail of blood rituals, violence, depravity and jail time. Finding his reclusive ex-bandmates isn’t easy, but convincing them to abandon their new lives in order to chase old dreams is a monumental task.

Hearing voices he believes are celestial, MacDubh leads the band out on tour…and mayhem follows. They blaze a trail of destructioScottish, born and bred. Writer of fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Right-hand man to a wolf. Creator of #1 Amazon bestseller Metallic Dreams and some worstsellers too.

In Metallic Dreams vocalist Spark MacDubh wakes covered in snow on a street of his home town. His most recent memories are of dying and being jolted back to life by an unseen force. He sets out to restart his band, which fragmented years earlier in a hail of blood rituals, violence, depravity and jail time. Finding his reclusive ex-bandmates isn’t easy, but convincing them to abandon their new lives in order to chase old dreams is a monumental task.

Hearing voices he believes are celestial, MacDubh leads the band out on tour…and mayhem follows. They blaze a trail of destruction, fornication, occultism and transcendent riffage, which attracts the attention of a particularly savage demon. As the voices in Spark's head urge him down ever-darker paths, his psyche is stretched to breaking point. Even with help from a Wiccan priestess, a criminal manager, the world’s most eccentric music journalist, and an assortment of dead rock stars, the odds are stacked against MacDubh and his gang.

Doubting his own sanity, Spark initiates a meeting with the Devil, who claims to be the band's only hope of success. Unwilling to sacrifice his soul or those of his bandmates, MacDubh decides instead to put the Devil out of business. A fantastic idea in theory, but possibly the least practical plan of all time. For starters, it requires a trip to Hell. Catch-22? More like Catch-666.

Metallic Dreams takes readers into a realm where deities and demons are muses, where the profound is often hidden within the profane, and where uncompromising rockers must put their existence on the line in defence of their dreams. An immersive journey loaded with hope, humour and the heaviest metal.

“The Devil has all the best tunes? My arse! Metalville just got a new sheriff.” – Spark MacDubh

While working on a blog post about my top 20 albums of 2018, I realised to my horror that I hadn’t published my previous blog post detailing my top 20 albums of 2017. So, not before time, here it is. Better late than never. My top 20 of 2018 will follow soon.

1. Nimbatus – The Invisible Lake

This isn’t the first Nimbatus album to top one of my album-of-the-year lists. The Invisible Lake is ...

I've read a lot of musicians' autobiographies. A hundred or so. This is one of the best. It's a brutally honest, often painful exposé of an artist's life, taking the reader through Jobson's early childhood and his teenage years with The Skids, then dI've read a lot of musicians' autobiographies. A hundred or so. This is one of the best. It's a brutally honest, often painful exposé of an artist's life, taking the reader through Jobson's early childhood and his teenage years with The Skids, then detailing his time as a writer and film-maker based in Berlin, and finishing full-circle with The Skids' glorious comeback and their first new studio album in 36 years. There's no narcissism in these pages - a refreshing change from most autobiographies. Jobson is introspective, reflective, philosophical, and self-absorbed in the way true artists have to be. It's an easy read - full of humility and humour, without even a trace of ego. An immersive journey through the ups and downs of one of the world's most talented and multi-faceted artists....more

One of the funniest autobiographies I've ever read, by one of rock's most likeable figures - the gentle giant 'Big' Chris Glen. Best known in Scotland for his legendary role in The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Chris also played bass with various MicOne of the funniest autobiographies I've ever read, by one of rock's most likeable figures - the gentle giant 'Big' Chris Glen. Best known in Scotland for his legendary role in The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Chris also played bass with various Michael Schenker projects, Ian Gillan, and a host of other rock luminaries. Like most rock/metal autobiographies, there's madness and excess, but Big Chris mentions these things as matter-of-fact details in stories, not as the stories themselves. This makes a world of difference to the readability. Unlike many other books of this ilk, it's loaded with humility. Chris made his mark in an industry where ego and narcissism abound, yet he did so while remaining as down-to-earth and approachable as ever. I've chatted with him at gigs in Glasgow, and at a Ryan Roxie guitar clinic, and he's always affable, ever ready with a handshake and a hug. Chris's natural flair for storytelling makes this a hugely entertaining read, but the book is also an education for anyone hoping to make a living as a musician. Unlike autobiographies by, for example, Mötley Crüe or Pete Way, this one doesn't brag about how much was drunk on this tour or at that recording session (because here in Scotland no one over the age of 13 brags about that - it's just part of the culture). The clue is in the title: this is an insight into the music business, written by one who's been there and done that, mastering both his craft and the financial aspects of the industry, all while remaining humble, hilarious and true to his roots. There aren't enough stars to rate this book, but since I'm limited to five, five it is. This is one book I'll be re-reading time and again. Fantastic....more

Preview — When Giants Walked the Earth
by Mick Wall

“I was ten when I heard the music that ended the first phase of my life and cast me hurtling towards a new horizon. Drenched to the skin, I stood on Dunoon’s pier peering seawards through diagonal rain, looking for the ferry that would take me home. There, on the everwet west coast of Scotland, I heard it: like sonic scalpels, the sounds of electric guitars sliced through the dreich weather. My body hairs pricked up like antennae. To my young ears these amplified guitars sounded angelic, for surely no man-made instrument could produce that tone. The singer couldn't be human. His voice was too clean, too pure, too resonant, as though a robot larynx were piping words through vocal chords of polished silver. The overall effect was intoxicating - a storm of drums, earthquake bass, razor-sharp guitar riffs, and soaring vocals of astonishing clarity. I knew that I was hearing the future.”
―
Mark Rice,
Metallic Dreams

“Things began to go wrong when I was seventeen. My band’s twenty-year-old lead guitarist earned seven years in jail for a drug-fuelled spree of violence. The other band members were quick to let go of their musical dreams, but I never did. They did the ‘mature’ thing: after writing off the band as a teenage fantasy, they got real jobs and made some money. They called it growing up. I called it giving up.”
―
Mark Rice,
Metallic Dreams

“Dying is the fastest route to fame for an aspiring rock star. The dead man’s melodies become profound, acquiring mystery and rising into a realm beyond the reach of human criticism. In the stopping of a heartbeat, the rocker is transformed from decadent hedonist into misunderstood genius. Aye, death and musical stardom go together like Scotland and rain.”
―
Mark Rice,
Metallic Dreams

“I was ten when I heard the music that ended the first phase of my life and cast me hurtling towards a new horizon. Drenched to the skin, I stood on Dunoon’s pier peering seawards through diagonal rain, looking for the ferry that would take me home. There, on the everwet west coast of Scotland, I heard it: like sonic scalpels, the sounds of electric guitars sliced through the dreich weather. My body hairs pricked up like antennae. To my young ears these amplified guitars sounded angelic, for surely no man-made instrument could produce that tone. The singer couldn't be human. His voice was too clean, too pure, too resonant, as though a robot larynx were piping words through vocal chords of polished silver. The overall effect was intoxicating - a storm of drums, earthquake bass, razor-sharp guitar riffs, and soaring vocals of astonishing clarity. I knew that I was hearing the future.”
―
Mark Rice,
Metallic Dreams

“I realized that the good stories were affecting the organs of my body in various ways, and the really good ones were stimulating more than one organ. An effective story grabs your gut, tightens your throat, makes your heart race and your lungs pump, brings tears to your eyes or an explosion of laughter to your lips.”
―
Christopher Vogler,
The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers

“Dying is the fastest route to fame for an aspiring rock star. The dead man’s melodies become profound, acquiring mystery and rising into a realm beyond the reach of human criticism. In the stopping of a heartbeat, the rocker is transformed from decadent hedonist into misunderstood genius. Aye, death and musical stardom go together like Scotland and rain.”
―
Mark Rice,
Metallic Dreams

“Things began to go wrong when I was seventeen. My band’s twenty-year-old lead guitarist earned seven years in jail for a drug-fuelled spree of violence. The other band members were quick to let go of their musical dreams, but I never did. They did the ‘mature’ thing: after writing off the band as a teenage fantasy, they got real jobs and made some money. They called it growing up. I called it giving up.”
―
Mark Rice,
Metallic Dreams

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Richard wrote: "Have a great time at the Thin Lizzy concert tomorrow Mark!"

Thank you, Richard. I can confirm that the boys were back in town...and on excellent form. It's always weird seeing Thin Lizzy without the iconic presence of Phil Lynott on stage, but Ricky Warwick stepped into Phil's unfillable (unPhilable?) shoes and did an admirable job, just as he did on the 2011 tour. Ricky's a Belfast-born boy who grew up in the Scottish town of Strathaven, so he has undisputed Celtic credibility and an attitude to match. I've no tales of debauchery to report, but there was one funny incident at the gig, so I may flesh that out into a blog post of sorts. I'll let you know if I do.

Richard wrote: "Mark, or should I say Mr. Rice?: I just read your blog. The last entry especially was good. Your comic tone made me expect a scene from This Is Spinal Tap, but it somehow twisted into a tale of a ..."

Thanks for the compliment, Richard. If Z's persona resonated with you, the book Bad Wisdom might be right up your street. It details the trip Z made to the North Pole (with KLF founder and all-round artistic genius Bill Drummond). Their goal: to place a laminated photo of Elvis Presley on the magnetic North Pole so that The King's vibes of peace, love and rock 'n' roll would shimmer down the Earth's ley lines and bring harmony to the world. The contrast between the chapters by Bill Drummond and those by Z is amazing; Bill describes things in a very literal no-nonsense way, whereas Z's perception of the same events is the result of them having filtered through his chemically enhanced imagination. I found it a hugely enjoyable book.

Mark, or should I say Mr. Rice?: I just read your blog. The last entry especially was good. Your comic tone made me expect a scene from This Is Spinal Tap, but it somehow twisted into a tale of a genuine if free-spirited soul. Even though I don't listen to this type of music I feel like I was there for the event and met Z personally!

Thanks for adding me to your friends list. As a former music writer and columnist, your latest tome sounds fascinating, and seems to be calling me. If you're into animals, check out my latest, "Conversations with Mr. Kiki."

Shovelmonkey1 wrote: "Thanks for the invite! As well as Pisces Vegetarian Loudmouth... you can also add fellow Scot to the list of things we have in common, although I am exiled in the southern lands (Liverpool) for gen..."

Thanks for the invite! As well as Pisces Vegetarian Loudmouth... you can also add fellow Scot to the list of things we have in common, although I am exiled in the southern lands (Liverpool) for general misdeeds and work purposes.

All the bestSamantha"Thanks Samantha. There are some Scottish authors on goodreads, but we're few and far between. I'm impressed by how much you've written. For a 25-year-old author, that's amazing. I've added 'Drip Drop Teardrop' to my to-read list.

Marita wrote: "Hi, Mark. Thanks for the connect. Yes, my book does touch on some of the same subjects as Once Were Warriors. I thought the film was great too. I'll check out your books and your blog. Have a good ..."

Hi, Mark. Thanks for the connect. Yes, my book does touch on some of the same subjects as Once Were Warriors. I thought the film was great too. I'll check out your books and your blog. Have a good weekend, Marita :)

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